"But this is just a hypothesis. We can only be sure after investigating," Rin said, pinching her chin and frowning in thought. "If there really are two Servants, dealing with Caster might be more challenging."
"Like I said, it's just a guess. We need to investigate first," Archer responded with a hint of exasperation. Why does she always take things related to that guy so seriously?
Rin remained unfazed and continued analyzing. "Then it seems Saber is crucial. Maybe we should deal with Emiya and take his Command Seals and Saber. Though he might lose some memories, it would free him from this war, which might be for the best. With Saber on our side, neither Caster nor Berserker would be a threat."
"Huh?" Archer felt he heard a particularly dangerous plan.
He wanted to refute this plan, knowing that if they did this, Illyasviel might command Berserker to hunt Rin down for eighteen streets.
"I just got to know my brother from another mother, and now you're planning to erase his memories? Are you trying to start a feud with me?"
"Berserker! No matter what, eliminate Rin!"
"Forget the Holy Grail War, just kill Rin first!"
Yes, this scenario was quite plausible.
Even with two Servants, fighting Berserker wouldn't be a walk in the park.
The ideal outcome would be Saber holding off Berserker while Archer deals with Illyasviel, with Rin supporting from behind. Easy victory.
But—
Faced with Illyasviel, he couldn't bring himself to attack. Am I really a double agent? Wait… why did I say "also"?
"Rin, I don't think this is wise. Remember, Illyasviel has a connection with Emiya Shirou. If you target him, she might target you in retaliation."
"Hmm."
Rin thought of Illyasviel's behavior yesterday, acknowledging that she indeed had a complex relationship with Emiya. She nodded, then shook her head.
"No, if we have Saber, Berserker won't be a threat. The worst-case scenario is them teaming up. Saber and Berserker together would be impossible for us to defeat."
Archer considered this possibility and agreed it was plausible.
His goals since being summoned were clear:
Help Rin win the Holy Grail War.
Eliminate his past self.
If those two teamed up, his goals would be unattainable.
Just thinking about it made Archer's head hurt.
"Let's go, Archer. Let's see if we can intercept Caster."
Rider, having returned to her usual cold demeanor after the fight, still had a faint trace of resentment on her face, which Shinji noticed but didn't pay much attention to.
You can get enough to eat at home (from Bazett), so there's no need to drain me, right?
With that thought, Shinji resumed his preparations, starting to provoke his opponent. This time, however, Rider remained unusually calm and didn't take the bait.
I said I wouldn't let you get it for free, so I won't!
That kind of thing was supposed to be a mutual exchange anyway. If you don't give me any spirit energy, don't expect anything else!
Rider straightforwardly refused Shinji, showing no signs of her earlier near-collapse.
"Fine, forget it then."
Seeing Rider's firm stance, Shinji shrugged and turned away without any hesitation.
Rider: ...
For some reason, Shinji's reaction annoyed Rider.
She suddenly wanted to teach him a lesson, to rough him up!
After a brief two-second contemplation, Rider confirmed her intention.
And she acted on it.
Before Shinji could take a few steps, Rider's chains pulled him back.
(We'll skip the combat scene; the author isn't fond of padding the story.)
At 1:30 AM, a disheveled Shinji stared at the still cold but visibly refreshed Rider. He thought:
Is this woman addicted to consuming spirit energy?
Or does she just enjoy being dominant after previously being pressured by her sisters?
Does every seasoned submissive harbor a subconscious desire to dominate?
Does she see me as a novelty?
Shinji decided: Next time they had a break, he'd give her a thorough lesson to show her how dangerous these thoughts were and why they needed correcting!
Just as he was about to leave, Rider said, "Someone's coming."
"Huh?" Shinji sensed the area, confirming that someone had entered the barrier—familiar faces: Shirou and Saber.
Glancing at the still-sleeping Mitsuzuri at the alley's entrance, Shinji pondered for a moment.
Hmm... late night in Shinto, Mitsuzuri unconscious, him and Rider, Shirou and Saber…
Why does this scene feel familiar?
Damn it!
Did I somehow get transported into the HF storyline from the anime?!
With Saber leading the way, Shirou entered the magical barrier she had discovered.
Inside, the first thing Shirou saw was Mitsuzuri, asleep with a familiar jacket draped over her.
"Mitsuzuri!"
He rushed over, checking on her condition.
Realizing she was just asleep, he sighed in relief but remained cautious, recognizing the jacket as Shinji's.
Could Shinji be involved too?!
Alarmed, Shirou looked up.
Seeing Saber's tense expression, he followed her gaze into the alley's depths.
"Shirou, stay back. There's an unfamiliar Servant."
Saber summoned her armor and the invisible sword, stepping into the alley first, with Shirou cautiously following.
Seeing Shinji standing there with a vacant expression, Rider hesitated for several seconds.
How can you act so convincingly?
Hearing the approaching footsteps, Shinji urgently communicated telepathically.
"Hurry up!"
"Bite me already!"
Rider was stunned.
How can Shinji communicate with me telepathically if he's not my Master?!!!